The Second Amendment group is additionally renting a booth at this weekend's Apple Harvest Festival in Southington, a rite of fall popular with politicians, that Malloy's GOP challenger, Tom Foley, is scheduled to attend.

"It's what we've been saying from the beginning, that Tom Foley is in the pocket of the gun lobby," said Mark Bergman, a senior campaign adviser to Malloy. "The fact that the NRA is coming to campaign should surprise no one."

Foley's campaign declined to comment, other than to say that the Greenwich private equity manager and former ambassador was not aware that the NRA planned to have a presence at the festival.

The Connecticut Democrats, in a fundraising appeal this weekend, urged party members to give money to offset the power and financial might of the pro-gun organization.

The NRA, which spent $1,276 on the printing and $1,200 on the booth rental, did not respond to multiple requests for comment Monday at the state and national levels of the organization.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation, a separate trade association for the gun industry that is based in Newtown, spent $56,000 on direct mail opposing Malloy, election filings show. The group also opened a Washington, D.C., office to augment its advocacy.

"NSSF represent the firearms, ammunition and related industries. We make our own decisions," Michael Bazinet, a spokesman for the group, told Hearst Connecticut Media Monday, when asked about coordinating with the NRA.

Malloy, who is in his first term and is considered to be vulnerable in the midterm election, championed sweeping firearms restrictions by the state in response to the murder of 20 children and six adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School in Newtown.